KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Unidentified gunmen shot and killed a 40-year-old religious scholar in Kandahar province, southern Afghanistan, on Thursday, April 24, local sources report.
The victim, Shaghasi, served as the imam of a mosque in Khakrez district, where the attack took place. The motive behind the killing remains unclear, and the perpetrators have not been identified.
Taliban authorities in the region have confirmed the incident and stated that an investigation is underway.
This marks the second killing of a religious scholar in Khakrez in recent days. Last week, Hafiz Muhibullah, another imam, was shot dead by gunmen in the district. Like the latest case, the attackers remain unidentified.
The incidents are part of a disturbing rise in mysterious killings across Afghanistan. In the past week alone, at least six such killings have been reported, including the deaths of a 5-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy.
In February, at least 25 people, including women and young girls, were killed under similar circumstances, according to data compiled by KabulNow.
Despite the Taliban’s claims of restored security since their return to power, these incidents continue to raise concerns about public safety. Human rights groups and activists have criticized the Taliban for failing to protect civilians and conduct transparent investigations into these killings.
